• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Our Staff
  • Announcements
  • Contact Us
  • Write for Us
  • Resource Library
    • Defense – Resource Library
    • Intelligence – Resource Library
    • Foreign Affairs – Resource Library
    • Global Security – Resource Library
    • National Security – Resource Library
    • Homeland Security – Resource Library
    • Terrorism and Counterterrorism – Resource Library
    • Writing and Critical Thinking – Resource Library
    • Professional Development – Resource Library
    • Leadership Building & Power Management – Resource Library
    • Thought Communities – Resource Library

Fulcrum Global

  • Featured Articles & Essays
  • OSINT-SITREP
  • Intelligence Briefs
  • Background Reports
  • Video Presentations
  • Podcast
  • Contributors
    • Sam Kessler
    • Brian Moody
    • Dustin Oaks
    • Cameron Grischott
    • Alyssa LeVasseur
    • Allen Cline
    • Brittany Lamon-Paredes
    • Shelomo Alfassa
    • Wayland Blue
    • Dr. Mark Kass
    • Max Daves
    • Dr. Frank Danesy
    • Dan Opstal
    • Dr. Hans C. Mumm
    • Paul Seibel
    • Carl (C.J.) Unis
    • Nabil Rahman
    • Katherine Sharp
    • Adam Roosevelt
    • Michael Maestas
    • James Weichold
  • Professional Development Program
  • Resource Library

Professional Development Program

The SDSS Professional Development Program (PDP) focuses on building essential skills and tradecraft that will help prepare analysts and practitioners (both current and aspiring) to work in a professional environment using skillsets such as structured analytic techniques; Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT); Information/Data Collection; Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT); Operational Security (OPSEC); and Red Team Analysis to name a few. It can be used for helping existing professionals in addition to aiding those seeking a career in the national security, defense, intelligence, and foreign affairs communities as well as in the private sector.

Beginning the New Great Experiment

This initiative came to fruition in early 2022 when the SDSS Leadership Team decided to create the position of Professional Development Officer (PDO) as part of the SDSS structure and organizational culture. As a result, PDP has been an ongoing project aimed at creating an additional flagship brand of the SDSS-Fulcrum Global structure with the sole intention of furthering the continued mission of SDSS creating a valuable product, impact, and network of friends and peers (professional and academic) in the national security, defense, intelligence, and foreign affairs fields.

Launching the Pilot Program in 2022

In 2022, SDSS launched the experimental pilot project that mainly consisted of eight web seminar sessions that taught various topics and skillsets that dealt with analytical, writing, and critical thinking skills that are utilized in the industries we covered in addition to technical and tradecraft topics and themes as well. It also collaborated in a virtual professional network collaboration with the Osgood Center for International Studies via their events program series. In addition, there was originally a mentorship element for our program participants that would have been outside of the web seminar series portion, however, it was limited in implementation at the time. However, it is highly anticipated that subsequent PDP programs will likely include the outside mentorship element as well.

Professional Development Resource Library – Click!

With that said, the experimental 2022 launch of the PDP pilot program was largely a success and a victory for SDSS in providing a product for its participants. However, it is important to note that SDSS learned a great deal from launching this new experimental project that was implemented with minimal resources. Like anything in life, we learn from experience while utilizing the valuable lessons learned for implementing future rounds of PDP launches by SDSS.

Starting PDP 2.0 in Summer 2023!

In Summer 2023 we plan to continue building onto the existing framework of the SDSS Professional Development Program with more experts involved teaching seminars and providing some guidance to participants. This year we plan on providing more topics and a more flexible webinar schedule as well!

  • Are you interested in applying for the SUMMER 2023 SDSS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (PDP)?

  • If so, then please click here! 

  • Application Link for Summer 2023 SDSS Professional Development Program (PDP) – Click

  • Application Deadline is July 16, 2023

2022 SDSS Professional Development Program (PDP) 8 Session Webinar Series Videos on OSINT and Structured Analytic Techniques

Presented by Nabil Rahman, Sam Kessler, and Professor Dan Opstal

  • Session 1 Video: Click Here!

    • SDSS Professional Development Program (PDP) Session 1 – May 7, 2022

      • Title: Introduction to PDP Webinar and OSINT Series

      • Presented by: Nabil Rahman ; SDSS Professional Development Officer

  • Session 2 Video: Click Here!

    • SDSS Professional Development Program (PDP) Session 2 – May 14, 2022

      • Title: History and Initial Sources of OSINT Prior to the Tech Boom

      • Presented by: Nabil Rahman ; SDSS Professional Development Officer

  • Session 3 Video: Click Here!

    • SDSS Professional Development Program (PDP) Session 3 – May 21, 2022

      • Title: Vulnerabilities of Analysts, The Analytical Process, and Structured Analytics Concepts Applied to Writing

      • Presented by: Nabil Rahman ; SDSS Professional Development Officer

  • Session 4 Video: Click Here!

    • SDSS Professional Development Program (PDP) Session 4 – May 28, 2022

      • Title: Managing and Digesting Information in the OSINT Battlefield

      • Presented by: Sam Kessler ; SDSS President and Fulcrum Global Chief and Managing Editor

  • Session 5 Video: Click Here!

    • SDSS Professional Development Program (PDP) Session 5 – June 4, 2022

      • Title: Structured Analytic Techniques in Action (Case Studies)

      • Presented by: Nabil Rahman ; SDSS Professional Development Officer

  • Session 6 Video: Click Here!

    • SDSS Professional Development Program (PDP) Session 6 – June 11, 2022

      • Title: Operations Security (OPSEC) in the OSINT Battlefield

      • Presented by: Sam Kessler ; SDSS President and Fulcrum Global Chief and Managing Editor

  • Session 7 Video: Click Here!

    • SDSS Professional Development Program (PDP) Session 7 – June 15, 2022

      • Title: The World in 3G: Geography, Geospatial Intelligence, and Geographical Information Systems

      • Presented by: Professor Dan Opstal ; SDSS Faculty Advisor

  • Session 8 Video: Click Here!

    • SDSS Professional Development Program (PDP) Session 8 – June 25, 2022

      • Title: Structured Analytic Techniques in Action ; Final Session Recap by Nabil Rahman and Sam Kessler

      • Presented by: Nabil Rahman ; SDSS Professional Development Officer ; AND Sam Kessler ; SDSS President and Fulcrum Global Chief and Managing Editor

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Footer

My Tweets

Recent Posts

  • How the War in Ukraine is Strengthening China and Weakening Russia March 30, 2025
  • NSA Releases Internal 1982 Lecture by Computing Pioneer Rear Admiral Grace Hopper October 2, 2024
  • China Space Threat to U.S. Assets – Intelligence Brief #9 June 20, 2024
  • Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community – February 5, 2024 March 11, 2024
  • Transforming Intelligence: From What, to What? – Dr. Mark M. Lowenthal – American Intelligence Journal (Vol 29, No 1, 2011) July 31, 2023
  • Fulcrum Global Podcast Episode 7 – Artificial Intelligence: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly July 3, 2023

Search

PER VIRES INGENI — Strength and Ability

 

 

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Our Staff
  • Announcements
  • Contact Us
  • Write for Us
  • Resource Library

Copyright © 2025 FULCRUM GLOBAL • All Rights Reserved